Why Did Reagan Remove Solar Panels From White House

Reagan saw the solar panels installed by carter for what they were a public relations stunt and ordered them dismantled.

Why did reagan remove solar panels from white house.

The average solar panel from the era produces approximately 1 05 kwh of energy every day. Solar photovoltaic panels and water heaters are installed on the building s roof. The panels were used to heat water for the first family and for water in the white house laundry and cafeteria. Solar panels finally back on the white house almost 30 years after reagan removed them new 50 comments by nathan ingraham may 9 2014 1 50pm edt.

It all started back in 1979 when then president jimmy carter installed 32 solar panels on the white house roof. On june 20 1979 the carter administration installed 32 panels designed to harvest the sun s rays and use them to heat water. Reagan was quoted as saying the panels were unsightly and unnecessary. In 1986 when the price of energy was temporarily cheaper and americans minds were less focused on environmental issues president reagan ordered the panels removed from the white house roof.

But in a curious parallel with the current occupant of the white house the panels weren t actually removed until 1986 five years after reagan took office. George charles szego the engineer who persuaded carter to install the solar panels reportedly claimed that reagan s chief of staff donald t. 365 days a year 24 year that s 294 336 kwh of dirty energy bought and burned because of one bad decision by ronald reagan. Multiply by reagan s 32 solar panels and you get 33 6 kwh of clean energy every day for free.

The white house itself once harvested the power of the sun. In 1986 ronald reagan removed the solar panels installed by jimmy carter from the white house. Reagan who didn t think much of solar energy also allowed the tax credit carter had instated to lapse. This symbolic installation was taken down in 1986 during the reagan presidency.